The Daily Blade: Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson

#24 - Kyle Thompson // Godly Companionship is PRESENT

Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson Season 1 Episode 24

This episode emphasizes the concept of true godly companionship, focusing on the element of being present in each other's lives, as exemplified by the relationship between Jesus and Lazarus. Through discussing biblical stories and personal reflections, we encourage listeners to evaluate the depth of their friendships and the importance of genuine support.

• The shortcomings of traditional men's ministries 
• The essence of true male companionship 
• The biblical account of Lazarus’s death and Jesus's involvement 
• The significance of being present during times of grief 
• Questions for reflection on the nature of listeners' friendships

Send us a text

Support the show

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Daily Blade. The Word of God is described as the sword of the Spirit, the primary spiritual weapon in the Christian's armor against the forces of evil. Your hosts are Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson, and they stand ready to equip men for the fight. Let's sharpen up.

Speaker 2:

Many so-called men's ministries are dead before they ever get going. Now, there are many reasons for this, but the main reason is because most of them are just women's ministries that have been repackaged for men. Does that make sense? They try to artificially create male community while ignoring many of the things that lead to true male community in the first place. So, in other words, they might succeed in getting guys to become buddies that show up to the same room at the same time and act well-behaved while they're there every now and again, but they fail to lead these men to forge true godly companionship a real foxhole of men that they can depend on. So that is what we're going to focus on this week. Each day, we will talk about a different element of godly companionship, and here's the reason why I'm doing this. Some of you think that you're special, you think that you're unique. You think, when a guy like me talks about godly companionship, that it somehow doesn't apply to you, and I intend to disabuse you of that notion this week. The first element we're going to cover is this Godly companionship is present. Godly companionship is present. Godly companionship is present. So we'll be in John 11 today, but to set the stage a little bit.

Speaker 2:

Back in John 10, jesus was in the temple in Jerusalem and he declared I and the Father are one. To the Jewish leaders. They considered this to be a clear form of blasphemy and they were going to stone Jesus to death. But we see in verse 39 that Jesus was able to escape across the Jordan. So at least from the chronological narrative of the book of John we see that Jesus and the apostles were experiencing a fairly dramatic time. Now in chapter 11 of John we see the death of Lazarus. But right from the jump here we need to be clear about something Lazarus wasn't just some dude. He wasn't a random acquaintance of Jesus. Lazarus was Jesus's boy. Right, I mean, these guys were tight when Jesus was in Bethany. He essentially used Lazarus's place as home base.

Speaker 2:

Amongst others contributes to the desperate confusion of Mary and Martha, lazarus' sisters, after they sent for Jesus when Lazarus fell ill. Lazarus ends up dying and Jesus never shows, at least not yet. So let's go to John 11 and we're going to look at verses 14 through 16. Then Jesus told them plainly Lazarus has died. And for your sake, I am glad that I was not there so that you may believe, but let us go to him. So Thomas called the twin, said to his fellow disciples, let us also go that we may die with him. So I mean doubting Thomas really. Is that how we're going to remember this guy? More like gangster Thomas. But I digress, he is not the point of today's message.

Speaker 2:

Okay, so Jesus makes his way to the town where Lazarus died, and we'll pick back up starting in verse 32. Now, when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet saying to him Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled and he said where have you laid him? They said to him Lord, come and see Jesus wept. Now, if you've spent any time in church or around the Bible, you likely know that Jesus ends up raising Lazarus, his buddy, from the dead. Just, you know an absolutely incredible scene. But I want us to go back to verse 35, the shortest verse in the Bible, the verse that you likely boldly raised your hand and volunteered to memorize at church camp as a kid Jesus wept, jesus wept.

Speaker 2:

Now a lot of ink has been spilled, looking into the significance of these two words. You know why would God incarnate weep? You know why would Jesus be upset if he knew what he was about to do, and so on and so forth. But today I want to zoom in on one thing who was with Jesus when he wept? Who was there when he got the news that Lazarus, his buddy, had died? Who was there on the road with him during his journey to go back to bethany, like? Who was with him? Who was there when he was confronted by mary? His apostles were his men, were his hand-picked foxhole, the men he had godly companionship with when j Jesus was so anguished and moved to the point of tears. His men were present. And that is what makes these men consequential. They weren't just buddies from afar that Jesus might see every year or two for a fantasy football draft or a golf trip or a jujitsu tournament. These dudes were there. So here's my question for you to ponder today Are your consequential friends present? See you back here tomorrow.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to today's episode Before you go. If you want to help equip other men for the fight, share this podcast around and leave us a five-star rating and review. Stay sharp.

People on this episode

Podcasts we love

Check out these other fine podcasts recommended by us, not an algorithm.